Colombo: Often described as the Chinese-made “white elephant”, Sri LankaThe 350-metre Lotus Tower, built at a cost of $113 million, was opened to visitors on Thursday in Central Colombo,
The towering green and purple communications tower is one of several “white elephant” projects built out of Chinese debt led by Mahinda Rajapaksa, brother of the deposed president. Gotabaya Rajapakse Who had to flee in July after months of protests over Sri Lanka’s crippling economic crisis.
The tower, which is touted as the tallest structure in South Asia, was built at a cost of $113 million and 80 percent of the funding came from the Chinese Exim Bank.
Its construction began in 2012 and has been plagued by claims of corruption since then.
“The tower is now open to the public and visitors are allowed into the observation deck and a revolving restaurant,” Prasad samarsinghesaid the CEO of the state-owned management company.
A ticket of Rs 200 will allow up to 20 minutes of viewing at the observation deck on the 29th floor. Most of the works and activities on the tower are not yet fully functional.
“It will take at least three more months for the tower to be fully operational,” Samarasinghe said.
The revolving restaurant on the 27th floor works on roller-based technology, allowing diners to have a 360-degree view of the city of Colombo.
The tower complex is to be rented out to potential business partners for trade and services.
The towering green and purple communications tower is one of several “white elephant” projects built out of Chinese debt led by Mahinda Rajapaksa, brother of the deposed president. Gotabaya Rajapakse Who had to flee in July after months of protests over Sri Lanka’s crippling economic crisis.
The tower, which is touted as the tallest structure in South Asia, was built at a cost of $113 million and 80 percent of the funding came from the Chinese Exim Bank.
Its construction began in 2012 and has been plagued by claims of corruption since then.
“The tower is now open to the public and visitors are allowed into the observation deck and a revolving restaurant,” Prasad samarsinghesaid the CEO of the state-owned management company.
A ticket of Rs 200 will allow up to 20 minutes of viewing at the observation deck on the 29th floor. Most of the works and activities on the tower are not yet fully functional.
“It will take at least three more months for the tower to be fully operational,” Samarasinghe said.
The revolving restaurant on the 27th floor works on roller-based technology, allowing diners to have a 360-degree view of the city of Colombo.
The tower complex is to be rented out to potential business partners for trade and services.